Stationary storage rack for pots, pans and lids

ABSTRACT

A storage rack for storing pots, pans, skillets and lids comprising a storage rack constructed of a stand and a base member mounted to the stand. A plurality of wire members are mounted to the base member and extending upward from the base member, the plurality of wire members including U shaped wire members and offset U shaped wire members with a plurality of rods secured to the offset portion. The rods extend upward and away from the offset portion and a handle is mounted to the base member.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This a continuation-in-part application of U.S. Design patentapplication Ser. No. 29/156,657 filed Mar. 6, 2002.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention generally relates to a storage rack andmore specifically is directed toward a stationary storage rack withupright wire members for holding cooking pots, pans, skillets and theirrespective lids.

BACKGROUND OF THE PRIOR ART

[0003] Most cooks have accumulated a collection of covered cookware thatmay range from small saucepans to large pots and skillets and includemany other sizes of pots and pans and containers with lids. Even thosehouseholders who do not consider themselves as real cooks have anassortment of covered containers in which to cook food both on top of astove and in an oven. Thus almost all kitchens contain significantnumbers of pots, pans and other cooking containers and lids for same.The cooking containers and their respective lids must be stored whenthey are not in use and this problem, may be compounded by the lack ofstorage space in many kitchens.

[0004] Where and how these kitchen implements are stored may varysubstantially from kitchen to kitchen. In some instances, pots andcooking containers are stacked in a nested fashion with the largestdiameter pot on the bottom and successively smaller pots on top. Whilethis might be a relatively efficient way to store pots, pans and othercooking vessels such as casseroles, the lids and covers usually cannotbe stored effectively in a nested stack. Most kitchens which use thisnesting stack storage method for pots also have a disorganized pile oflids and covers. The cook then must rummage through the pile to locatethe correct lid for the container he or she wants to use and move stacksof containers. In a home kitchen this exercise is very frustrating andcan be quite chaotic when people and children gather in the kitchenduring cooking of the meal.

[0005] Some cooks simply cover their pots and pans with the lids andstore them side-by-side, on cabinet shelves. Although this method allowsthe cook to locate the correct lid quickly, it requires significantlymore storage space than stacking or nesting the containers. Many homekitchens simply do not have the storage space to store the numbers ofcooking containers required by large families or serious cooks.

[0006] A storage rack is useful for holding pots, pans, skillets andlids for same. In the prior art shaped wire stands have been used toelevate an appliance or cooking container or to provide open storage forrelated use utensils, splatter screens and similar items. One form ofcommonly used stand is a ceramic or marble/granite planar base mountedon a wire housing such as is seen in U.S. Pat. No. 2,679,736 issued Jun.1, 1954.

[0007] U.S. Pat. No. 2,516,088 issued Jul. 18, 1950 is directed toward afolding dish drying rack formed from round wire stock which has aprotective coating of rubber or synthetic resin. A plurality of elementsare pivotally supported between an adjacent pair of longitudinal rods.Each element is mounted with a crank portion positioned outwardly and alug portion positioned inwardly for attachment to and manipulation by apush bar. The push bar is slidably mounted in slots formed in a pair ofmounting plates secured to the ends of a base.

[0008] U.S. Pat. No. 5,660,284 issued Aug. 26, 1997 is directed toward astorage rack for holding and storing cooking container lids and likeshaped objects. The rack has a base with a pair of feet allowing it tobe placed in a vertical or horizontal position. A plurality ofadjustable crosspieces forming rests or steps are positioned at desiredlocations along the edges of the bracket members to hold the containerlids at a storage angle.

[0009] Other commonly used types of stands are a wire rack with legs andsupports such as that shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,190,065, 2,891,676,3,013,670, 3,164,108, 4,592,471, 4,756,582 and 4,943,029.

[0010] The prior art, therefore, has failed to provide a storage rack orholder for cooking containers and their lids and covers that may beeasily assembled by the purchaser or by a consumer, that may bepositioned in one of several convenient orientations in a home and whichcan be easily adjusted as needed to hold and store a number of lids ofvarying and different dimensions. Consequently, there is a need for sucha rack in the home kitchen to allow storage areas to be organizedeffectively and efficiently to reduce clutter and provide the timesavings which result when storage spaces are organized.

[0011] Accordingly, the novel storage rack has been developed to holdpots, pans, skillets and lids which resolves the problems of counter andcabinet space, cluttered storage, mislaid lids, matching lids tocontainers, allowing containers and lids to be consolidated and hiddenfrom sight in a cabinet or enclosed area, as well as being easilycleaned.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0012] The present invention is directed toward a stationary plasticcoated wire storage rack comprising a stand, a base member mounted tothe stand and a plurality of wire members mounted to said base memberand extending upward from said base member. The plurality of wiremembers include U shaped wire members of varying heights and offset Ushaped wire members of varying heights having a plurality of uprightangled rods secured to the offset portion of the offset U shaped wiremembers. The U shaped wire members are secured to the base member and ahandle is mounted to one end of the base member.

[0013] It is an object of the present invention to provide a storagerack for cooking containers and their covers and lids which can becustom assembled by the purchaser or consumer to accommodate a specificcollection of cooking containers and lids without the need of tools,fasteners or adhesives.

[0014] It is a further object of the present invention to provide afixed storage rack for cooking container lids that is sized to hold allof the lids for a selected set or brand of cookware.

[0015] It is yet another object of the invention to provide a storagerack which can be easily assembled with a minimum of instructions andgeneral lack of mechanical skill by the consumer.

[0016] It is yet another object of the invention to provide the userwith storage space for storage of cooking utensils allowing easy accessof same for use as well as reducing the amount of counter space andcabinet space needed for such storage.

[0017] It is a further object o the invention to provide a storage rackwhich may be easily and inexpensively fabricated from round wire stockor other suitable materials having strength and durability.

[0018] In the accompanying drawings, there is shown illustrativeembodiments of the invention from which these and other objectives,novel features and advantages will be readily apparent.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the stationary storage rack forpots, pans and lids;

[0020]FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the storage rack of FIG. 1;

[0021]FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the storage rack of FIG. 1;

[0022]FIG. 4 is a rear elevational view of the storage rack of FIG. 1;

[0023]FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the storage rack shown in FIG. 1; and

[0024]FIG. 6 is a bottom plan view of the storage rack shown in FIG. 1;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0025] The cooking container and lid storage rack of the presentinvention is ideally suited for use in the home as it provides a compactstorage rack for containers and their respective lids and covers thatallows easy access to the lids and covers. The capability to vary thedimensions of the container and lid-supporting components of the rack byinserting various wire support members on the rack base allows theconsumer to customize the rack as needed to hold a varied assortment ofcontainers and lids. The preferred embodiment of the storage rack of thepresent invention is designed to be assembled by the user and is fullyadjustable to hold a number of cooking containers and their respectivelids of different heights and diameters at an optimum storage angle.

[0026] The preferred embodiment and best mode of the stationary storagerack invention is shown in FIGS. 1-6. The stationary pot, pan and lidstorage rack assembly 10 is constructed with a stand 12 having a planarbase 13 with upturned flanges forming “C” shaped integral sides 16. Thesides define a plurality of holes 17 cut through the back portion of theC. The holes 17 are aligned with the holes cut in the base 14 so thatthe stand 12 and base 14 can be secured together as will be laterdescribed. A curved “T” shaped handle 18 with a rectangular base portion20 is secured in a notched portion or step 15 cut in base 14. The handle18 has a stem portion 22 which is curved or angled away from the baseportion 20 and has curved side walls 24 which terminate in a rectangularknob or head 26.

[0027] The base 14 is constructed with a rectangular support member 28having side rail members 30 secured on opposite sides of the supportmember 28 allowing the same to be positioned with the “C” chamber formedby the integral sides 16 of stand 12. The base 14 is secured to thestand sides 16 by appropriate fasteners such as screws, threadedmembers, bolts or rivets 117 which are inserted into holes 17 throughaligned holes (not shown) in the side of the side rail members 30. Twoparallel support rails 32 are secured to the top surface 29 of therectangular support member 28 and define a series of aligned bores orblind bores 33 which are adapted to receive and hold the feet of thewire support members. The support rails 32 also define a series ofaligned rectangular notch seats 34 which allow seating of lids and thelips of the pots and pans. The notch seats 34 preferably have arectangular cross section although rounded or angular cross sectionscould be used and run across the support rails 32 transverse to the axisof the support rails. The notch seats 34 hold the container and lids inplace against the wire support members and prevent the cooking pans,pots and skillets and their associated lids from sliding when adjacentitems are removed for use leaving the original space for the item beingreturned.

[0028] A plurality of “U” shaped wire support members 36 are mounted inthe rear section of the stationary assembly with the ends or feet 37 ofthe wire support members 36 being mounted in the respective alignedbores or blind bores 33 cut into the parallel support rails 32. A taller“U” shaped wire support member 38 is mounted in the middle section ofthe base 14 in respective aligned blind bores 33 in the parallel supportrails. The diameter of the bores 33 are substantially the same as thediameter of the wire feet portion of the wire members being insertedtherein

[0029] A plurality of staggered height offset wire support members 40,42 and 44 are mounted on the proximal or front section of the base 14 inrespective bores in the parallel support rails 32. Each wire supportmember offset portion 44 is constructed with two parallel legs 46 and a“U” shaped cross support 47 integrally formed with each leg andextending transverse to the axis of the parallel legs 46. A frontsupport cross bar 48 of the cross support 47 has two angled offsetupright rods 50 mounted to the cross bar 48 a distance inside theparallel axes of the support arms 49 and two angled offset upright rods52 mounted to the support arms 49 outside of the upright rods 50 mountedon cross bar 48. Each of the angled offset upright rods 50, 52 is formedwith a blunt or rounded end 53 to preclude scratching of the utensils.In addition each wire member is preferably coated with a rubber, arubberized material or plastic coating such as PVC to prevent scratchingof the cooking utensils and to protect the wires against rust.

[0030] Each notch 34 is located behind a base of handle 18 and the wiremembers 36, 38, 40, 42 and 44 so that a lid, pan or lip of the cookingutensil can be seated in the notch.

[0031] The principles, preferred embodiments and modes of operation ofthe present invention have been described in the foregoingspecification. However, the invention should not be construed as limitedto the particular embodiments which have been described above. Instead,the embodiments described here should be regarded as illustrative ratherthan restrictive. Variations and changes may be made by others withoutdeparting from the scope of the present inventions defined by thefollowing claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A storage rack comprising a base assembly and aplurality of wire members mounted to said base assembly and extendingupward from said base assembly, said plurality of wire members includingoffset U shaped wire members with a plurality of rods secured to saidoffset portion, said rods extending upward and away from said offsetportion and a handle mounted to said base assembly.
 2. A storage rack asclaimed in claim 1 wherein said handle is substantially T shaped.
 3. Astorage rack as claimed in claim 2 wherein said T shaped handle has acurved stem and a rectangular shaped head.
 4. A storage rack as claimedin claim 1 wherein said handle comprises a base portion secured to saidbase assembly and a T shaped portion extending upward and away from saidbase portion, said T shaped portion comprising a stem with curved sidesterminating in a distal knob member.
 5. A storage rack as claimed inclaim 1 wherein said wire members are coated with plastic.
 6. A storagerack as claimed in claim 1 wherein said base assembly comprises a basesupport with inwardly turned sides and a rack support member mounted tosaid sides.
 7. A storage rack as claimed in claim 1 wherein said rodsare positioned on the legs of said U shaped wire members and a crosspiece connecting said legs.
 8. A storage rack as claimed in claim 1wherein said rods are angled in at least two areas.
 9. A storage rack asclaimed in claim 6 wherein said rack support member comprises a basemember with a planar upper surface and planar sides with rail supportmembers mounted on said sides within said base support inwardly turnedsides.
 10. A storage rack as claimed in claim 9 wherein a plurality ofrail members are mounted on said planar upper surface, said rail membersdefining a plurality of throughgoing channels and a plurality of holes.11. A storage rack comprising a stand and a base assembly mounted tosaid stand, said base assembly comprising a base member with a planarupper surface and sides with support members mounted thereon, aplurality of rail members are mounted on said planar upper surface, aplurality of wire members are mounted to said rail members and extendingupward from said rail member, said plurality of wire members includingoffset U shaped wire members with a plurality of rods secured to saidoffset portion, said rods extending upward and away from said offsetportion. and U shaped wire members secured to said rail members and ahandle mounted to said base member.
 12. A storage rack as claimed inclaim 11 wherein said handle is substantially T shaped.
 13. A storagerack as claimed in claim 11 wherein said base member sides have siderail members secured thereto, said side rail members defining aplurality of holes therein to receive fastening means inserted throughholes defined by sides of said stand.
 14. A storage rack as claimed inclaim 11 wherein said stand comprises a planar base and upturned sideswith a planar portion transverse to a plane of said planar base, saidupturned sides having throughgoing holes therein which are aligned withthe holes defined by the sides of said rail members.
 15. A storage rackas claimed in claim 13 wherein said side member rails are seated in achannel formed by the sides of said stand.
 16. A storage rack as claimedin claim 11 wherein said handle comprises a base portion secured to saidbase assembly and a T shaped portion extending upward and away from saidbase portion, said T shaped portion comprising a stem with curved sidesterminating in a distal knob member.
 17. A storage rack comprising astand and a base member mounted to said stand, a plurality of wiremembers mounted to said base member and extending upward from said basemember, said plurality of wire members comprising spaced U shaped wiremembers and offset U shaped wire members.
 18. A storage rack as claimedin claim 17 wherein said storage rack has a handle mounted thereto, saidhandle comprising a base portion secured to said base assembly and a Tshaped portion extending upward and away from said base portion, said Tshaped portion comprising a stem with curved sides terminating in adistal knob member.
 19. A storage rack as claimed in claim 17 whereinsaid offset U shaped wire members include a plurality of rods secured tosaid offset portion, said rods extending upward and away from saidoffset portion.
 20. A storage rack as claimed in claim 19 wherein saidrods include an angled portion.
 21. A storage rack as claimed in claim19 wherein said rods have a rounded end.
 22. A storage rack as claimedin claim 17 wherein said wire members are coated with plastic.
 23. Astorage rack as claimed in claim 22 wherein said plastic material ispolyvinylchloride
 24. A storage rack as claimed in claim 17 wherein saidU shaped wire members are of different heights.
 25. A storage rack asclaimed in claim 17 wherein said offset U shaped wire members are ofdifferent heights.